Skip to content

How To Keep A Painted Door From Sticking To Weather Stripping

Colder times are up ahead for all of us. As winter is around the corner, weather seals and stripping are high in demand. If something saves money and keeps you warm, wouldn’t you want to have it?

But painting doors and seals tend to be a mess. Even when it seems dry, the paint sticks to the strips, and it isn’t very pleasant.

This guide will show how a person can keep a painted door from sticking to weather strips.

Tips in Keeping A Painted Door From Sticking To Weather Stripping

Power of Powders

Latex paints tend to adhere to most surfaces during their curing process. That takes about 14 days, and nobody has that time to wait. Luckily though, there’s an easy and fast solution.

Wait for your door to dry. If it is, then apply some talcum powder to weather strips. Coat the strips with the powder with the use of a thin brush.

Talcum powder is made up of talc-which contains silicon. This could be the reason why it works for painted doors. Cornstarch and baby powder might be good alternatives. (Learn How To Remove Glue From Engineered Hardwood Flooring)

Baby powder should be applied after the paint has cured. Just make sure to apply regularly.

Wax for Win

This method is intended for door jambs and painted doors. But it will work on weather strips.

The time it takes for paint to dry in your door frame depends on several factors. A few hours is a good estimate, though.

After the paint dries, cover the sides of the freshly painted door . A wax paper is moisture-proof because of the wax in the paper.

If you put wax paper in between the door frame and the sides of the door, the paint won’t stick. It gets a bit tricky as to how you would do it.

Firstly, you could tape the wax paper on either the sides of the door or the frame. The weatherstrip should be in between the paper and the painted door. This way, the contact point is always the paint and wax paper.

The second thing you could do is wait to close the door for the night with the paper sticking to the frame.

Is Candle Wax Okay?

Now, we know that wax is waterproof. But can we directly apply candle wax to our doors? Yes.

Rub the candle to the edges of the door. They would act as a barrier as well, although not as good as the wax paper.

How about Paraffin Wax?

Paraffin wax gives the same results. Remember to reapply from time to time.

Goo Gone and WD-40

This method is excellent if you are using rubber gaskets. But, it should work on different materials as well.

Clean the weatherstrips with Goo Gone. This should remove the impurities that would hinder the application of WD-40. Then you could spray a generous amount of WD-40 to the weather strips.

Why does it work, though? Some people think that it has silicone in it, but that is a myth. Silicone stops paint from sticking.

WD-40 is partly made out of Vaseline and baby oil. These should be enough to create a smooth barrier that would prevent paint from sticking.

Also, if you are using metal weather seals, then the product is better. It prevents rust and corrosion.

Use Silicone Bulb

The vinyl bulb does not react well to latex enamels. It’s paint job pain. It doesn’t have to do anything with curing or drying time. Also, most painters nowadays use latex.

It’s just a chemical reaction that causes the paint to fall off. There are silicone bulbs that are harder to find but do a good job. It doesn’t mess with the latex paint.

Removing the weather strips before painting

Removing the Weather Strips

Another option is to remove the weather strips for a while. Again, if you are using latex and
vinyl bulbs, then this won’t work. For other types of setups, time to fully cure is needed.

This solution might seem invalid. But removing your weather strips for several days is better than leaving your door open. (Learn How To Clean White Painted Doors)

Now in removing rubber weather strips, simply find a corner that you could work your way around. Pry it loose, and be always gentle. Weatherstrips aren’t that expensive, but it’s not a bad idea to avoid accidents.

Work your own using a small tugging motion to remove the entire strip eventually. The hardest part is finding that workable corner. A putty knife or a similar would make the process easier.

Setting it up in place again is easy. Align your strips with the door frame with the Flanders facing the channel in your frame. Press it on the start of one side, then work your way to the other side.

Why Is it A Good Idea To Remove Weather Strips?

For paints to cure, chemicals within them must evaporate. Factors include the quality of the paint and weather. A few hours to a few weeks is the range.

Weatherstrips hinder the paint from curing because they stop the chemicals from evaporating. This is
why it’s a good idea to remove weather strips temporarily.

Using Silicone Spray

Silicone has a smooth surface that most paints find challenging to stick to. Directly applying silicone to your rubber gasket prevents paint stickiness. After cleaning the strips and applying wd-40, you could then spray some silicone.

Considerations

It’s best to paint in dry and hot temperatures as early as possible for a quicker drying time.

Material Types of Weather Stripping For a Door Jamb

There are several types of weather stripping. And one technique might not work for all types. The reason is that weather strips could be made from different materials.

It could be vinyl, metal, rubber, cotton, or foam. You get the idea.

And Paints

hen there are different kinds of paint. Quality and the type of paint are factors. Oil-based and latex paint have varying reactions to surface types.

Some paints need a longer curing time. While others, depending on your door type as well, might need primers.

Go for a semi-gloss finish for painting the front door.

How To Keep A Painted Door From Sticking To Weather Stripping